On the Internet, many paths may exist between a given pair of nodes. The total message-carrying capacity (bandwidth) between two given nodes is the maximum amount of data per unit time that can be transmitted from one node to the other. Using a technique called packet switching, this data can be transmitted along several paths at the same time.
Service providers may provide their subscribers with various services including multimedia services by which subscribers obtain television and other multimedia content for viewing, data services such as Internet access, and telephony services including local, long distance, and/or video conferencing telephone services. In a bundled scenario, a provider may deliver two or more of these services to subscribers over an access network physical layer that is common to the bundled services.
However, applications and services continue to be developed to drive consumers demand for increases in Internet bandwidth. For example, the escalating popularity of social networking sites and the emergence of high-bandwidth applications, such as voice and video, act to increase consumer demand. Video downloads and transmissions are the most bandwidth intensive, wherein a video download may consume 8 to 10 times the bandwidth required for voice or music.
Further, products are increasingly becoming available to allow consumers to link their broadband audio, video, and data downloads to electronic devices and gadgets throughout their home. In a networked home, cable modems, digital video recorders (DVR), voice over IP (VoIP) systems, personal computers, and TVs are all linked. As each of the latest digital entertainment services come on line, the need for bandwidth further increases.
Businesses are demanding ever-increasing bandwidth in order to meet the high-speed communications requirements of today's fast-paced business world, especially as e-commerce becomes an important part of their everyday operations. Corporations, large and small, have always wanted to save time and money. And in the 21st Century, bandwidth is one of the most important factors driving a company's ability to compete efficiently and effectively in the global economy.
In contrast, bandwidth demand by home users tends to be concentrated after business hours. This is typically driven by homework demands, students communicating by email, twitter, facebook updates, listening to online music services, the downloading of on-demand videos and other services that are more focused on consumers.
Accordingly, consumer and business peak demand times are not coextensive and increases in business bandwidth allocation does not subtract from consumer bandwidth availability. Therefore, it can be seen that there is a need for providing dynamic adjustment of bandwidth for providing increased bandwidth to business subscribers during business hours.